Fence fabric



Nov. 12', 1935.

F. H. RUPPEL FENCE FABRI C Filed July 22, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feaosexcz H EUPPEL.

Nov. 12, 1935. PPE 2,020,379

FENCE FABRI C Filed July 22, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN 1/5/v roe: @5052 me H 1601 1 64 )9 .47- Toe/vex Patented Nov. 12, 1935' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims. (Cl. 25634) My invention relates to an article of manufacture comprising a fabric adapted for use in the construction of fences.

A customary practice in the making of fences 5 is to erect a framework consisting of posts and sills, and tothen mount thereon paling or picket members. The proper spacing and vertical positioning of picket members of a fence require a reasonable degree of skill and consume a material amount of time.

It is an object of my invention to provide a fence fabric which may be transported. in roll form and has included therein the desired style of picket members secured together in spaced relation and ready to be mounted on the framework of the fence by simply unrolling the fabric and stretching the fabric member across the face of the framework, this operation placing the pickets in position for nailing or otherwise'se- 29 curing to the fenceframework.

' In the practice of my.invention I may employ in the fabric as a supporting element for the pickets either metal strips or strips of other material such as a textile fabric or burlap. The supporting element forming a part ofthe fence fabric may be removed after 'the'pickets have been secured to the fence framework or may be left in place as part of thefence structure. In the form of my invention employing burlap or cloth 30 as the picket supporting element of the fence fabric, it is, of course, desirable to remove the supporting element after the pickets have been secured to the framework and to make this readily possible the picket members and the cloth 35 supporting element may be secured together by a water soluble glue making it possible to wet the cloth so as to moisten the glue and to then pull the cloth from the pickets.

It is a further feature of my invention to provide a fence fabric of the above character which may be readily rolled into a compact shipping bundle without twisting of the picket supporting element.

It is a further feature of the invention to provide in a fabric of the above character a supporting element for the pickets which will permit the pickets to be vertically offset when they are in erect position so as to follow the contour of the 50 ground over which the fence is run. To this end the preferred form of my invention has the supporting element or elements of the fabric secured to the picket members in a readily pivotal man- 7 ner, thereby making it possible to rotate the sup- 55 porting element or elements relative to the pickets in a plane parallel to the outer faces of the pickets.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a fence of the above character especially adapted for the construction of artistic fences for 5 gardens and estates.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following part of the specification.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illus- 10 trative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a perspective fragmentary view showing a preferred form of fence fabric embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is afragmentary perspective view show- 15 ing the form of metal supporting element, employed in the fence fabric.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section on a plane represented by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the fence fabric rolled up into bundle form for transportation.

Fig.5 is a fragmentary perspective detail showing an alternative form of metal supporting element.

Fig. 6 is a perspective elevational view showing a form of my invention in which the supporting element for the picket members consists of a textile fabric secured to the picket members by use of a soluble glue.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section on a plane represented by the line 'l -'l of Fig. 6. V

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective View showing aform of my invention in which picket members are secured in spaced relation to a textile fabric by use of a type of nail especially suited for this purpose.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section on a plane represented by the line 99 of Fig. 8. 40 Fig, 10 is a perspective view showing a manner in which the fence fabric is employed in the construction of a fence.

Fig. 11 is an elevational view showing the mannerin which the fence fabric permits the fence to follow the profile of the ground.

The simple form of my invention disclosed in Figs. 1 to 3 consists of a fence fabric l5 including a plurality of pickets Hi disposed in side by side, parallel, and preferably evenly spaced relation, and a supporting means l1 for these pickets comprising a plurality of metal strips which are secured to the picket members and extend laterally across the faces thereof. The metal strips I! have flattened portions l8 spaced therealong,

which flattened portions are connected by intermediate portions 20 which are also somewhat flattened but not to the same extent as the portions l8. Each portion l8 has a central hole 2| adapted to receive a securing means which is preferably in the form of a nail 22 which is driven into the underlying picket member IS. The nailing or securing portions I8 are spaced along the strips I! in accordance with the desired spacing of the pickets and accordingly may be used for determining the spacing of the pickets. Owing to the fact that the intermediate portions 20 of the strips are flattened, they may be readily bent in a plane perpendicular to the pickets, thereby making it possible to roll the fence fabric [5 into a roll or bundle 23 as shown in Fig. 4, which may be tied by use of cords or Wires 24, and may be then stored or transported from the place of manufacture to the location of use.

In the alternative form of the invention indicated in Fig. 5 picket members 26 may be secured in spaced relation by supporting means consisting of fiat metal strips 21 of substantially constant cross-section throughout the length thereof. Each strip 21 is provided with holes 28 through which the securing means or nails 30 may be driven into the picket members 26. Strips such as shown at 21 may be readily bent in a direction to permit rolling of the fence fabric and may be made of a durable, relatively non-corrosive metal, such as copper or bronze, and may 1 be left in place as a permanent part of the fence structure.

A simple and inexpensive fence fabric 32 is shown in Figs. 6 and '7 as consisting of trianguiar icket members 33 secured together by supporting means 34 consisting of a strip or sheet of textile fabric, which fabric is preferably burlap.

owing to the very low cost of such material. The fence fabric 32 is constructed by laying out the sheet or strip 34 and applying a coating of soluble glue 35 thereto, after which the picket members 33 are placed upon the sheet 34 in desired spaced relation, the glue drying, and including the members 33 and 34 in a single structure ready for rolling and subsequent application to a fence framework.

the invention set forth in the preceding paragraph may be departed from by the use of nails instead of glue as a means for securing a textile fabric 36 to the picket members 31. The nails 38 used for this purpose have large heads 40, as shown in Fig. 9.

In both forms of the invention shown in Figs. 6 to 9 the supporting element consisting of the strip of textile fabric may be readily removed after the fabric has been applied to a fence framework, the fabric 34 being removed by applying water thereto to wet the glue, and the fabric 36 being removed by pulling the nails 38.

The manner in which the fence fabric may be applied is clearly shown in the perspective view Fig. 10. A framework 42 is first erected from posts 43 and sills 44 and 45. The fence fabric is then unrolled from bundle form on the ground adjacent the framework 42, and the sections thereof, each consisting of one roll or bundle. are raised, one at a time, into position against the framework 42 as indicated at 46 in Fig. 10. The first picket member 41 is nailed in place,

and then by application of tension to the end 48 the use of spacing gages or levelling means. After the fence is completed by applying the sections of fence fabric in consecutive order to the framework 42, the supporting element consisting of the fabric 34 may be easily removed in one of the manners previously described.

In Fig. 11 I show a fence 50 running over sloping ground surface 5|. A fence of this character may be readily constructed from my fence fabric for the reason that the supporting elements will permit one picket to be vertically offset relative to the other, but will still retain these pickets in vertical alignment owing to the parallel link action of the supporting elements and the pickets to which they are secured. For example, in Fig. 1 each supporting element or strip I1 is secured to the pickets by use of a single nail 22 for each picket. Each nail serves as a pivot point on which the supporting element may rotate in a plane parallel to the face 52. of the picket. against which the supporting element is held by the nail 22. Therefore the connection of adjacent pickets l6 by the links formed from the intermediate portions 20 produces a parallel link connection of the pickets which will permit them toreadily follow the contour of the ground surface 5| over which the fence 50 is built. In constructing a fence of this character the lower ends 54 of the pickets l6 are allowed to rest on f the ground 5!, with the result that the upper ends of the pickets l6 follow the contour of the tially the same results; therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the following claims. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the embodiment of I claim as my invention:

1. A fencefabric of the character described, including: a group of picket members in side-byside relation; a supporting element extending across the faces of said picket members in a direction lengthwise of said group; and means removably securing said supporting element to said picket members, said supporting element being so placed on said picket members as to leave spaces at the ends of said picket members for engagement with longitudinal members of a fence framework.

2. A fence fabric of the character described, including: a group of picket members in side-byside relation; a supporting element comprising a strip of textile fabric extending across the faces of said picket members in a direction lengthwise of said group; and means consisting of a layer of cementitious material for removably securing said supporting element to said picket members.

3. A method of constructing a fence, which comprises the steps of: forming a fence fabric by securing picket members in side-by-side relation to a textile fabric supporting element; disposing said fence fabric in operative position relative to a support; securing said picket members to said support; and removing said supporting element from. said picket members so that said picket members will be then carried by said 5. A method of pre-fabricating a fence strucsupport. ture, which comprises: initially securing picket 4. A method of pre-fabricating a fence strucmembers in side-by-side relation to a textile fabture, which comprises: securing picket members ric supporting element; securing said fence struc- 5 in side-by-side relation to a. textile fabric supture to a support; and removing said supporting porting element; and removing said supporting element from said picket members. element from said picket members when said fence structure is secured to a support. FREDERICK H. RUPPEL. 

